Lifting assembly for lift-slab-type building construction



p 23, 1959 F. VAESSEN 3,468,514

LIFTING ASSEMBLY FOR LIFT-SLAB-TYPE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed May 23, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VENTOR. FRANZ VAESSEN FIG. I BY Mal-2% ATWP/VEXY p 23, 9 F. VAESSEN 3,468,514

LIFTING ASSEMBLY FOR LIFT-SLAB-TYPE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed May 23, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

FIG- 2 INVENTOR.

F24 N2 VA ESSEA/ p 3, 1969 F. VAESSEN 3,468,514

LIFTING ASSEMBLY FOR LIFT-SLAB-TYPE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed May 23. 1967 3 sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. FRANZ VAESSEN 3,468,514 LIFTING ASSEMBLY FOR LIFT-SLAB-TYPE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Franz Vaessen, Essen, Germany, assignor to Hoclitief AG. fur Hoch-und Tiefbauten vorm. Gebr. Helfmann, Essen, Germany Filed May 23, 1967, Ser. No. 640,591 Claims priority, application Germany, June 4, 1966, H 59,598 Int. Cl. B66f 1/00 US. Cl. 254106 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus including sectional lifting rods is arranged for positioning a lift slab on a vertical support column. A lifting device, such as a hydraulic jack, is located on the column for raising the slab using the sectional lifting rods. The lifting rods extend from the slab to the lifting device and when the slab is raised the rods extend above the lifting device. A frame structure is provided above the lifting device to support and store individual rod sections after they have been disconnected in the course of raising the slab. The frame member contains a support beam upon which a moving member is located for holding and supporting the disconnected sectional lifting rods. Additionally, the frame contains a winch-like member for lowering portions of the sectional lifting rods into position prior to commencing the slab lifting operation.

Summary of the invention The present invention is directed to a lifting assembly for a lift-slab-type building and more specifically to a sectional lifting rod arrangement and means for supporting the lifting rod sections after they have been used in the lifting operation.

Recently in building construction, particularly in reinforced concrete buildings, it has been found more economical to build or cast the floor slabs at the base of the building and then raise them into position on the vertical column supports rather than casting the slabs in place at the proper elevational level on the columns. After a slab is cast at the base of the support columns it is lifted to its support position and secured to the column. A number of hoisting methods have been employed in lifting such slabs, generally these have utilized a lifting press or hydraulic jack which is supported on one beam and pushes another beam upward in a series of relatively short piston strokes. Lifting cables or rods are secured to the upper beam and extend downwardly to the slab. In the lifting operation the effective length of the lifting rod decreases as the slab is raised.

The rods utilized in the lifting operation are very flexible and cannot be left unsupported in the extended position above the lifting jack. Since the piston stroke of the jack is quite short compared to the total distance the slab has to be lifted the jack must be extended and retracted a number of times. Generally each time the jacking stroke is completed the portion of the lifting rod extending above the jack has to be removed. Because of this repetitive rod removal procedure it is not possible to maintain a continuous lifting operation.

To avoid the frequent interruptions that have occurred in the past in the lifting operation the present invention is directed to a lifting arrangement which does not delay the hoisting procedure while permitting periodic removal of sections of the lifting rods. In the present hoisting operation the lifting rods are divided in a number of sections, these sections are coupled together into a set and are connected to the slab for raising it to its proper elevational United States Patent 3,468,514 Patented Sept. 23, 1969 support position on a vertical support member. The lifting rods are also attached to a beam supported on the lifting jack, when the jack pushes the beam upwardly the lifting rods hoist the slab a similar distance. At the end of each complete jacking stroke the piston of the jack must be retracted to repeat the operation. However, as the slab is hoisted the lifting rod commences to extend above the top of the beam supported on the jack, and it becomes necessary to start removing portions of the lifting rod. Accordingly, one or a group of workers would have to be available to remove the extended portions of the rods at each of the lifting points. It can be appreciated, in a building of any size that there will be a plurality of support columns or lifting points and ten or more such columns would not be unusual.

In the present arrangement, rather than removing the support rods as each jacking stroke is completed, a storage magazine housing or frame including a beam for receiving and supporting sections of the lifting rods is disposed above the top of the lifting device. Generally the frame is supported from the vertical lifting columns and combines with the lifting device to form a single assembly. Customarily in such arrangements a set of the lifting rods is disposed on opposite sides of the lifting jack and extend downwardly to the slab. As the lifting rods extend upwardly above the jack during the hoisting operation they have to be removed in some fashion. It is not unusual for forty or more feet of lifting rods to extend above the lifting jack depending, of course, on the height of the building. To accommodate the multiple section rod sets which extend upwardly from the lifting device, movable members having a plurality of holding parts are positioned on the support beam to receive and support the rod sections after they have been disconnected from the lifting rod set. The movable members are positionable on the support beam so that their holding parts can be aligned above succeeding lifting rod sections as they are removed during the hoisting procedure. Additionally, to attach the lifting rods to another slab after one slab has been raised into position, a winch-like device is positioned at the top of the frame for lowering the rod sections down into lifting position.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an arrangement for continuously hoisting a slab to its proper support position without periodic interruptions for removing sections of lifting rods.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for removing and storing lifting rod sections which a single operator can work without halting the lifting operation.

Another object of the invention is to supply a support arrangement for storing the lifting rod sections and for reinstalling them on the lifting device.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a member for holding the lifting rod section and for moving the device so that it can be properly aligned over the lifting rods.

Moreover, another object of the invention is to afford an apparatus for repositioning the lifting rods for another lifting operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a method of removing the lifting rods in the lifting operation to afford a continuous operation.

Therefore, the present invention comprises a device for hoisting a slab into its support position on a vertical support column. The slab is provided with an opening when it is cast so that it can be lifted upwardly along the column without any interference and then can be placed on a support so its load is transferred to the column. To raise the slab, a lifting device, such as a hydraulic jack or lifting press, is disposed on top of the column. The lifting device rests on a lower support beam and an upper support beam is placed on its lifting surface. The lower support beam is stationary and the upper support beam rides on the lifting surfaces of the device the full extent of its travel. In the usual hoisting arrangement a pair of sectional lifting rods are secured to the upper beam, one on each side of the lifting device, and extend downwardly and are attached to the slab. Since buildings employing such lift-slab-type construction can be four or more floors in height it will be appreciated that the length or height of the lifting rods is considerable. The lifting rod is asembled in sections so that the sections can be disconnected after they have extended above the top of the upper support beam. To support the disconnected lifting rod section a frame structure extends upwardly from the lifting device and includes a beam aligned above the upper support beam of the lifting device. Movable members having rod holding parts are positioned on this beam. As a section of lifting rod is pushed upwardly above the upper support beam by the repeated jacking operation the top of the rod is moved into engagement with one of the holding parts of the movable member. After the top of the rod is held in the movable member it is disconnected from the remainder of the lifting rod still performing the hoisting operation. Next the movable member is repositioned on the beam so that another of its holding part will receive the next section of rod.

Above the beam, in the frame structure, is a support joist to which is associated a lifting or winch member. This member is used to receive the last section of the rods and to replace the lifting rods back in hoisting position after a complete slab lifting cycle has been completed.

By providing means to receive and hold the lifting rods during the slab raising operation it becomes unnecessary to discontinue the operation to remove individual sections of the rods. Moreover, though the rods are made up of uniform lengths sections, an additional non-uniform length section is added to each rod set so that the position of the joints in the rods are staggered. Because of this staggered arrangement a single operator can move from column to column to perform whatever steps are involved in disconnecting the lifting rod sections without interrupting or interfering with the hoisting operation.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Description of the drawings In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a lifting assembly for a slab according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an elevational view similar to that shown in FIG. 1 but with a portion of the lifting rods disconnected and held within the lifting assembly.

Detailed description of the invention In FIG. 1 a lifting assembly for raising a slab member 1 into position on a support column 2 is illustrated. The slab member 1 having an opening 3 is constructed or cast at the lower end of the support column 2, generally at grade or basement level, and then is lifted upwardly along the column until it reaches its proper elevational plane where it is supported by brackets or similar means on the column. For a specific lift-slab-type support arrangement, see applicants copending application for a lift slab support construction.

To raise the slab l to its proper location on the column 2 to a lifting device such as a hydraulic jack 4 having a lifting surface 4a, is positioned on top of the column.

Resting on top the column and supporting the jack is a lower beam 5. Disposed above and supported by the lifting surface 4a of the jack is an upper beam 6 which rides on the upper moving surface of the jack. While the drawing shows only a single column and lifting device it will be appreciated that in a building of the lift-slab-type there would be probably eight or more such slab lifting locations throughout the building.

Secured to the upper beam 6 and extending downwardly to and attached to the slab are lifting rods 7 for hoisting the slab into position on the column. Because of the height of the building the lifting rods 7 are of a considerable length extending from the jack 4 to the slab in its initial position at the base of the column 2. The rods 7 are made up of a series or set of individual rod sections 7a, 7b and 76 secured together to form a complete rod. Though not shown in the drawings, the individual sections which make up a complete lifting rod are of uniform length except for one section which is of a nonuniform length and is of a different length for each complete lifting rod. Generally, this non-uniform length rod section is connected to the slab and is the last section of the lifting rod to engage the upper beam 6.

Connected to the lower beam 5 on the column and extending upwardly above the lifting device is a frame structure 8 which is used in the assembly and disassembly of the lifting rod sections. The frame structure comprises a pair of vertical members 19 which uphold a support beam 10 and a support joist 10a located above it. As can be seen in FIG. 2 the support beam 10 and joist 10a are aligned above the jack 4. Movably positionable on the support beam 10 are a pair of support members 11 having three holding parts or sockets 12 for the lifting rods 7. Though not shown in the drawings locking means are provided on the members 11 so that the members can be fastened in position on the beam 10 with their holding parts 12 in alignment over the lifting rods secured to the upper beam 6. In FIG. 1 the lifting rod is shown with its upper end just inserted into the holding part 12 of the movable member 11, in other words the first section 7a of the lifting rods has passed upwardly from the lifting device into the member 11. In FIG. 3 the movable member 11 is shown with its holding parts 12 displaced one position outwardly from that shown in FIG. 1, with section 7a disconnected and located in a storage position outwardly from the next section 7b.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 the support member 11 is connected to an endless cable 13 which travels over a pair rollers 14 positioned in the beam 10 and extends downwardly over a drum 15 supplied with a crank 15a for positioning the movable member 11 along the beam 10.

Above the support beam 10 the support joist 10a contains two pair of rollers 17. A cable 16 extends upwardly from a winch 18 mounted on one of the vertical supports 19 over a pair of the rollers 17 and is attached to a hook or lifting member 21 at the end of the cable, the hook is shown dotted in the drawings. The winch 18 has a handle 18a for manual operation.

Secured to the lower end of the vertical members 19 is a platform 20 which provides a walkway between adjacent lifting assemblies.

In hoisting a slab 1 into position in the lifting assembly works in the following manner. For purposes of this description it is assumed that the building being constructed is four stories high. The slabs are constructed at the base of the column 2 and the first slab to be positioned must be hoisted at least 40 feet to its support location on the column. Accordingly, the first set of lifting rods 7 have to extend for a height greater than that of the building, since they reach from above the jack 4 to the underside of the slab 1. The lifting rods 7 are connected to the slab and the serially arranged sections 7a, 7b, 7c are joined together with the upper section 7a connected to the upper beam 6 at the commencement of the jacking operation. In FIG. 1 the travel or stroke of the jack is shown by an arrow which extends between the upper beam 6 in its lower or retracted position and the upper beam 6a shown dotted in its extended position. At the outset the lifting rods 7 are secured to the upper beam 6 and not to the lower beam 5.

As the lifting surface 4a of the jack 4 rises from its retracted to its fully extended position the beam 6 rides upwardly lifting with it the rods 7 and the slab 1. When the full height of the stroke of the jack has been reached the lifting rods 7 are disconnected from the upper beam 6 and are secured to the lower beam 5. The lifting surface 4:: of the jack is retracted and the upper beam 6 rides downwardly with it, the lifting rods are again connected to the upper beam and disconnected from the lower beam and the jacking action is repeated. This operation is continued until the slab is lifted to its proper elevational position on the column 2. At the same time the lifting rods 7 continue to move upwardly above the upper beam 6 toward the movable members 11 on the support beam 10.

As the rods proceed upwardly they pass into one of the holding parts 12 in the movable member 11 and are secured in place as the jacking operation continues. When the first section 7a of the lifting rod 7 is secured within the holding parts 12, the joint between the section 7a and the next section 7b is located above the upper beam 6 and the operator can disconnect them and shift the moving member over one holding part space so that the next holding part 12 is positioned in alignment above the remaining connected portion of the lifting rod 7. In reference is made to FIG. 3 it will be noted that the upper section 7a has been moved outwardly one space and the middle holding part 12 is aligned above the lifting rod section 7b which, as shown, extends a short distance above the upper beam 6.

The jack operation is continued as is the removal of the lifting rod sections 7a, 7b, 70 until the slab 1 is finally supported the column 2. The last section, generally the non-uniform length section of the lifting rods 7, is not engaged by the holding part 12 of movable member 11 but rather is grasped by the hook 21 on the cable 16 at the end of or at approximately the end of the lifting operation, note FIG. 3 where the lifting rods 7 are shown in dotted lines held by the hook 21.

When the next slab is ready to be hoisted the cable 16 lets down the lowermost lifting rod section which it supports for connected to the slab. At the same time the movable member 11 is moved back toward the center of the frame so that the successive sections of lifting rods can be reconnected. After completing the connection of the lifting rods 7 to the slab the jacking operation is repeated and the next slab is moved into place.

As mentioned previously lower rod section connected to the slab is generally of a different length for each of the lifting assemblies within the building being constructed. Accordingly, since the remaining lifting rod sections are of uniform length the point at which the joint between adjoining sections appears above the lifting device will be different for each assembly. In this way a single operator will be able to go from one to another of the assemblies, disconnecting the lifting rod sections and repositioning the member 11.

This arrangement provides an improved lifting method and apparatus because it permits continuous operation of the lifting device and limits the personnel required for disconnecting the rod sections. Accordingly not only can the elapsed time for the hoisting of the slabs be reduced, but the amount of labor involved is also kept to a minimum.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for raising a slab into support position in the construction of buildings of the lift-slab-type comprising a member for raising a slab upwardly to its support position, said member located above the support position, a lifting rod assembly formed by a series of separable lifting rod sections, said assembly secured to said member and adapted to extend downwardly therefrom for attachment to a slab, and an apparatus disposed in the path of travel of said lifting rod assembly upwardly from said member for receiving and supporting individual said lifting rod sections after said sections have completed a portion of the raising operation and are no longer utilized in lifting a slab into its support position.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprises a support beam spaced upwardly from said member and means located on said beam for supporting individual said lifting rod sections.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said means located on said support beam comprises a movable memher.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3, wherein said movable member has a plurality of holding parts for separately supporting a number of individual said lifting rod sections.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4, wherein positioning means are attached to said movable member for locating said holding parts thereof in alignment above and in the path of travel of said lifting rods adapted to raise the slab into support position.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5, wherein roller means are secured to said movable member for positioning it on said support beam.

7. A device as set forth in claim 6, wherein a selectively operable locking means is arranged for securing said movable member in position on said support beam.

8. A device as set forth in claim 2 comprising upright members extending above and supporting said support beam, and a transverse joist carried by said upright members above said support beam.

9. A device as set forth in claim 8, wherein a lifting mechanism is associated with said joist for supporting and positioning individual said lifting rod sections.

10. A device as set forth in claim 8, wherein said upright members are secured to said lifting device and a ladder is secured to at least one of said upright members for gaining access to said movable member.

11. A device as set forth in claim 10, wherein a platform is attached to said upright members.

12. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein a plurality of said devices are employed in raising a slab to its support position, and each assembly of lifting rod sections comprises a number of sections of uniform length and another section of non-uniform length, said another section has a different length for each of said lifting rods, whereby the joints in adjacent assemblies of lifting rod are staggered with relationship to one another.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,028,143 4/1962 Cheskin 254- 3,036,816 5/1962 Stubbs 254-106 X 3,053,015 9/1962 Graham 254-406 X 3,302,735 2/1967 Klein --85 ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner D. R. MELTON, Assistant Examiner 

